Shenzhen police have busted two mafia-style organizations, nine criminal syndicates and 238 criminal rings involved in mafia-style crimes, and criminally detained 2,381 suspects, so far this year, according to a news conference yesterday.

Assets worth 3.32 billion yuan (US$486 million) have been seized or frozen by police, Liang Zengchang, deputy executive secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Committee of CPC Shenzhen Municipal Committee, said at the news conference.

At the news conference, Lyu Zhifeng, vice president of Shenzhen Intermediate People’s Court, gave seven examples of mafia-style cases that have been closed or are under court proceedings. The cases include the crimes committed by 80 people led and organized by Wang Xiaoxi. Wang was sentenced to 20 years in prison, and his subordinates were sentenced to jail terms of between 13 months and 10.5 years, recently by Bao’an District People’s Court for 10 criminal counts such as organizing and leading mafia-style organizations, forcing trade, illegal detention, blackmail, organizing gambling and intentional assault.

Shenzhen courts also filed and tried three cases in which shelter and protection umbrellas were provided for mafia-style crimes.

Since Jan. 23, 2018, Shenzhen courts have concluded the trials of 88 criminal cases involving mafia-style organizations and criminal rings. A total of 360 people were sent to prison, including one who was jailed for life and 37 who received jail terms of more than five years. The confiscation and fines reached 14.23 million yuan.

Since the launch of the campaign against organized crime in January 2018, Shenzhen Municipal People’s Procuratorate had arrested 1,398 suspects in 356 cases as of Friday, according to Zhan Xianjian, vice chief of the Shenzhen procuratorate, at the news conference. Since the launch of the campaign and by Thursday, police had busted 11 mafia-style organizations, 40 criminal rings and 3,660 related crimes, according to Li Ping, director of the Shenzhen police criminal investigation department. A total of 5 billion yuan in assets have been sealed or frozen.

Shenzhen police are offering up to 50,000 yuan in rewards for clues that lead to the arrest of 10 suspects that are involved in mafia-style crimes.

The 10 suspects are suspected of leading or taking part in mafia-style crimes, being involved in forced buying and selling, sabotaging production, intentionally causing injuries and organized prostitution.

The public can report the crimes on the official website of the Shenzhen Municipal Public Security Bureau, ga.sz.gov.cn, send emails to szgayjjb@szga.gov.cn or call 0755-2222-2110.

The Guangdong provincial police department also announced yesterday that it would offer 50,000 yuan in rewards for clues that lead to the arrest of 30 suspects who are on the run. The suspects include three who are wanted by Shanwei’s police authority, which will give 600,000 yuan for the arrest of Zheng Haitian, a Shenzhen native, 600,000 yuan for the arrest of Tang Weijie and 300,000 yuan for the arrest of Hong Shuisheng. Zheng (ID: 442531196011110014) was involved in forced trade.

At a ceremony yesterday, Guangdong police gave 500,000 yuan in rewards to five residents who had reported crimes.